Why does my Blackberry Torch 9800 keep slipping into SOS mode?

I've owned a Blackberry Torch 9800 on the Vodafone network for around 9 months now and it quite often slips into SOS mode whether i'm at work or at home. Why does it keep doing this???

I've just rang a Vodafone Customer Services Advisor and he told me to pull the battery and take the Sim card out. I have done this before though and it makes no difference. He also told me that where i live we have good 3G coverage but we don't! We are currently on the Edge signal - no 3G for us yet i'm afraid!!

I've just changed the network setting to 2G, will this make the SOS problem go away or can someone suggest a permanent fix?....,its just that when the phone is in my pocket and it goes into SOS mode people can't contact me. It could be an important call / text and i wouldn't know that i had no signal.

Re: Why does my Blackberry Torch 9800 keep slipping into SOS mode?

Are you able to test the SIM in another Vodafone handset to see if the single drops out on that too? This will let you work out if it might be a problem with the SIM card or the BlackBerry itself.

If it's an older SIM card then one option would be to ask Vodafone to send you a new SIM with your existing number linked to it, usually this is free of charge and can help out if a SIM becomes faulty or worn out over time.

Re: Why does my Blackberry Torch 9800 keep slipping into SOS mode?

It certainly seems there's a hardware fault somewhere then if you have a colleague who isn't suffering the same issues. Although your SIM is only young, there could still be a fault so trying it in another phone could help you to find out if it's the handset or the SIM. IF you got the phone from Vodafone directly, you'll have a manufacturers warranty giving you access to free repairs via our stores or our customer service teams on 191. You're welcome to send it in for a repair if it doesn't end up being a SIM fault.

This has been reported a number of times and was regarded as a software problem - from memory though, it was mostly early OS7 phones and was 'fixed' in later OS versions. Your 9800 will be OS6 (?) & you're probably running the latest version already but worth checking for updates.

Try leaving the phone on 2G only for a while & see if it makes a difference. If you don't have a usable 3G signal in your area, there's no point in asking the phone to hunt for one - it's only wasting battery.

Re: Why does my Blackberry Torch 9800 keep slipping into SOS mode?

Yes Paul, when i pull the battery the signal does return. It also does when i switch the Mobile Network off then back on again. I left the phone on 2G only for a couple of days but it want into SOS at home this afternoon.

Can you tell me how to find software updates? Also can you tell me what the Mobile Network settings should be? Currently my phone is set to Data Services - On.... Network Selection Mode - Automatic.....Network Mode - 2G.